The California Academy of Family Physicians is deeply concerned about the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s decision to change the childhood immunization schedule to recommend fewer vaccines for most American children. This is a dangerous change to U.S. vaccine policy that threatens the health of the public and will continue to erode public trust in health institutions. Vaccine recommendations must reflect the unique epidemiology, health system structure, population diversity and disease burden of the country in which they operate.
"Family physicians play a significant role in delivering vaccines to children. We will not gamble with patient lives by abandoning decades of rigorous scientific evidence. CAFP is committed to following evidence-based guidelines for childhood vaccinations and applaud California's commitment to protecting our patients against harmful changes coming from the CDC," says CAFP's president Dr. Anthony Chong.
CAFP calls on HHS and CDC to restore the long-standing, transparent, and evidence-based process led by the CDC's ACIP to recommend vaccines based on safety, effectiveness and proven public health benefit of vaccines in the U.S.
In October, California passed a new law that protects the state’s vaccine recommendations against unfounded or problematic changes made by ACIP, preserving evidence-based vaccine recommendations for all Californians. CAFP will continue to ensure family physicians are a part of California’s efforts to make vaccines accessible and affordable for all Californians.
AAFP’s vaccine recommendations have not changed. You can count on the AAFP childhood immunization schedule which is supported by rigorous scientific review.
